Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Still the Place with Laura Layton, Courtney Thorn Smith.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
And daphne's Aniga an iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Hello ladies, welcome to another Melrose minute. So one of
the things that comes up in this episode that comes
up in many future episodes is that Alison is dealing
with Amanda, who is a very mean boss. It's mean
at the workplace yet, but she's mean because she stole
Allison's pretend boyfriend.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm also a little confused on the structure at work
because she's not exactly her boss, right.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, Lucy's her boss, right, Lucy's her boss, and and
like Amanda is the art director.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Helped me understand exactly what the structure is.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Amanda's the super attractive boyfriend's well, I know she's super attractive.
That's what her official title is, but that's what she
doesn't know.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I'm going to annoy the woman who's playing Alison for
the rest of her life.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I think she's kind of parallel above, like say she's
a number above on the on the call sheet, like
you can get an actor language, she's probably above on
the call sheet.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
So she's like the director in her department, and she
works in a parallel department, like not in the same
exact department, but they have to work together. And it
seems like Allison is on a rung below in a
different department, but they have to work together. So she's
not her direct boss, she's not her direct report exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
So what I just have to be clear. So, but
she does become her boss.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
She's also a bossy and and sort of it. It
is definitely an added layer to being irritated by how
pretty she is. I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah, So we're kind of talking about when you've dealt
with bad bosses, and I have to say, you know,
there was a time in this industry and you guys
both know this that people were allowed to behave horribly
And one of the good things that come out of
the Me Too movement and this is that is that
is less accepted. But don't you remember people used to
(02:05):
be allowed to behave horribly at work? And I'm sure
that's across the line. Like before there was hr I'm
sure everybody of a certain age had a time when
somebody was literally throwing staplers across the office. Do you
guys have did you work well?
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You're talking about a boss, like a director or a
producer or are you talking about a.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Fellow or just like a coworker. Well, when when me
too started, there were stories of prefamous stories of producers
and they'd throw things at assistance and we all just
sort of shrugged like it was okay. Remember that, like
oh oh yeah, he's crazy, he's crazy, And now suddenly
it's not okay. People started to see they had rights.
But you remember, I remember people who had power on
sets being able to yell and scream and we all
(02:45):
just sort of hid and allowed it to happen.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Well, because we thought that's how it works. The slady
had to accept that the pyramid, the hierarchy is the
way it goes. And yeah, I mean when I put
myself back, it makes total sense. It's only now in
hindsight where people who probably put up with a lot
worse than us are like saying, no, this is bus
(03:09):
not doing it anymore, not okay that you go, oh yeah,
it shouldn't be.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
And I think there were like a specifically, like some
commercial directors that just had a reputation for being absolutely
hardcore and would scream at crowds of people, but it
was still considered like, well, but if you want to work,
and if you want to get this great job and
work with this great director, you just put up with that.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And it's really like a mark of.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You know, Cachet to work with this guy, but what
you have to endure is his screaming and yelling and
the way he talks to his people and like that,
like you're saying that it was just considered, Like okay,
that's just what you have to put up with. And
I get to say that I've done this job or
this commercial or whatever with this notoriously, you.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Know, not to forget me somewhere.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
I mean the other mark of cashe Yeah, like you
tried to complain, they'd say, there are a thousand people
who'd want your job. And the other mark of Cachet
was for the person throwing a tantrum. I worked with
someone who was a real bully once and he actually said,
I love that I get to do whatever I want
and people have to accept my apology because I'm so powerful.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Oh, actually said the words out loud.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
He said the quiet part out loud.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Actually said it that that was indicative of his power,
that he could do crazy things and people had to
put up with it because he had all the power.
So it was a huge awakening, like a rude awakening
for these people when things like HR started and you
got to say you don't get it or cell phone started, right, Yeah,
(04:45):
so when it first started, you remember this, like people
would actually film people doing it and it was so real,
or record them throwing a tantrum and people are like, oh,
that's not okay like it used to be. Well, we
have to put up with it because they're so creative.
So the people who were being put up with felt
powerful because they got to act out and be forgiven.
They didn't have to grow up.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
And people who say that quiet part out loud probably
don't just say it once. They probably go around saying
it like they've repeated that phrase and they're wearing that
sort of as a confident Hey, I can do whatever
I want.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, when I worked, probably doesn't talking about and I
complained about it, and instead of telling the bully he
had to stop bullying, they said, well, Courtney, we could
find someone to like be with you. It's like I
don't need a bodyguard, you like, have the bully stopped
being a bully. But so that's dawned back then?
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Was this the eighties or the nineties, because I'm trying
to think of or the two thousands, Like, at what
point that you thought.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
That, Well, I think it was as I grew up,
so you know, when I was younger, you just sort
of get quiet, and there's this thing of like, so
everybody's sort of talking about how awful they are, but
there was no sense of we shouldn't have to put
up with that. Yeah, Like I think it wasn't until
the Meto movement that kind of people went oh, no,
way to minute, no.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Right, Like you know what I'm saying is did you
say that but you spoke up, right.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
You're saying he did finally speak up. Yeah, so this
was after.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Me too, or did you think no it was way
back okay, so you were like you thought, this is
not okay.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
I mean that's but the response was, yeah, we can't
do anything about him, So we're just going to try
to protect you within the framework of this system, which
is that he gets do whatever he wants and we'll
try to take care of you in quiet ways without
upsetting him.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
I know. But what I'm saying it didn't dawn on
a lot of us back then that it was wrong.
Like I would have. We're sort of like what's that term? Uh,
you know where you just kind of go this is
the way it is, Like I would.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Send time on me.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
I would just go, oh, he's a creep or he's
a this, and I say he because most of them
were he's, he's, he's, he's he director, producer, director, producer.
There are so few women. But I would never, in fact,
I probably would go to my therapist and say, fix
me so I can deal with this. I would never
(07:10):
go and think that the whole system needs a change.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Ever, because we were so conditioned to accept this behavior.
It was like there were famous stories right about these
producers and oh yeah, oh yeah, he's crazy. But at
no point did people say until that movement did people say,
oh no, no, that's not okay. And I thought was
so interesting when Me Too came out, was that somebody
would complain about somebody and then all of these people
(07:33):
would come out, and each each woman had thought she
was the only one.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Right. People don't just say it once, they don't just
do it once.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Yeah, Yeah, I was very touching. There were times when
I thought to even say it out loud and to
go through it. There's a certain form of trauma. I mean,
I don't think I was traumatized in the way that
a lot of women were that came out, But I
(08:02):
think there's a mental and emotional that you kind of
like an inventory that I went through, going oh that
wasn't okay, or maybe this wasn't you know, having worked
all through the eighties and the nineties and the two thousands.
But I think you're right, it's changed.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, things have changed, and the accountability I think is
is just there's much more of a consciousness about it
in a conversation about it.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
You know, the system had been was more rigid, it
was more there were fewer in roads, you know. Now
it's like you see all these people. There's work everywhere
because of phones, and it's easy to create content and
so many outlets that I think, like people was very
small and rigid before to get into this industry and
so and the system was so kind of like it
(08:46):
felt it very locked and stiff, you know what I mean.
And now you're in a generation these kids are like
these are gig employments, you know, they're into like, I
don't want to work here anymore. I don't like my boss.
This is who they are. You know, there's that that
that is always.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
So heartbreaking to me too, Like so much was heartbreaking
about the Harvey Weinstein stuff. He really did have the
power to ruin the careers of women who refused to
sleep with him, Like, how can that be? That was
the eighties, It's not like it was the twenties, Like
that was the eighties. That was so recent.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
But he came out of why seventies and the sixties
and the fifties were in the forties, I mean, it
just kind of kept going.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Poor died that behavior.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Of course, That's what I agree.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
He had invented rooms.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
It was normal for him.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
It went on doing anything wrong.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I know, That's what I'm saying. It's like when you
look back to where he grew up in it, he
and his I mean I read.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
A little bit about it. He looked it was objectively
hideously wrong, but you think of how embedded in the
system that was. Yes, of course that's insane. So there's
no wonder we sort of thought, well, there's a price
to be paid in the re is this attitude in
our business, And I hope it's better for young actresses
coming up now. But it's that there are a hundred
people who would like to be here, like, just suck
(10:08):
it up. I always knew this was my code when
I knew something was wrong. If they say to me,
be a sport, be sport, like I have done stunts
I shouldn't have done that, I would not do today.
Do people actually say those words, do you be a sport?
You've never heard that, daph Have you heard that then
in a work country? Well I have, I hear whenever.
Now I know. Now it's like if they say be
(10:30):
a sport, it means put yourself in danger for us,
And I'm like, you know, I'm not a sport. I'm
here to take care of myself because I have taken
risks for stunts that now. Look, the vast majority of
stunt coordinators and stunt guys are super careful and they
say are you comfortable? Does this work for you? But
I've done a couple of lower budget things where they
(10:51):
just kind of wanted to get it done and they
wanted to see my face and they were like, you
can do it right. You're a sport.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
And they said be a sport.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
You're a sport, and I was like, yeah, I'm a sport.
Like that very young part of me that wanted to
hang out with the guys. I'm a sport like now
the older part of me is much stronger in protecting
the younger part of me. But I would do it.
Like there was one time I was doing a stut
and I was running and jumping into a moving car.
And I look back on that and I go, wait
a minute, like, yeah, it could have I could have
(11:19):
gone like not just hurt me and I couldn't finish
the day's work, Like you can be so hurt doing
something like that that it could have ruined my life
could have gotten very little. But I could do it. Yeah,
Like the little tomboy and me wanted to prove I
could do it. And I'm just it's heartbreaking. All these
(11:39):
come on because I've had I have been pressured to
do things. For the most part, I stood up to it.
But I've been pressured to do plenty of things I
didn't want to do on sets where I had a director,
I might I may have shared this on another episode,
but when they said everybody out there thinks you being
a baby, Oh yeah, that's everybody thinks you're being a baby,
And it's just like it's so rule that kind and
then you say, by the way, were lying. I came out,
(12:01):
except I came out and the crew was like, good
for you. For like, the crew was one hundred percent
on my side. Crews are amazing. They were one hundred
percent on my side. But they tried to manipulate me.
It was just like I said to Allison, and Allison
said Romanda. In the upcoming episode, she says, everybody thinks
so except for Billy, Except for Bally, I hope that
(12:22):
it's it's better. I hope that there's more support for
young actors and actresses that they don't have to do
things that they're uncomfortable with. Yeah, we need more minutes.
We're out of minutes. We have so much to say.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
That was just a Melrose minute.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
That's all just a little light topic.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Welcome to the industry. Come on in, guys, all right, wellnutes.
That's why the best advice is, if you can do
anything else to make a living, go do it.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
We can discuss that.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
I'm insanely grateful for my career. I've had, for the
most part, a great time, and I think it's changing.
I think I think the industry is becoming more accountable
and there are more protections now for young people, and
I think young people are better educated about their rights
and what they can expect. Yeah. I have so much
faith in these upcoming generations. I really do. I think
(13:13):
they're amazing.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Well, on that note, on that always lovely to chat
with you ladies for this matter is a minute.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Thank you for listening. Listene soon for another episode. Y
bye bye,